tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50739527054913087492024-02-18T23:35:01.717-08:00Walking the English coast - the easy way!I have recently finished walking the English coast. This blog is meant as a help/guide for someone doing the same thing.I hope to complete all the posts within the next 6 months. Go to the archive of past months and years to access all previous posts. Composite, rather amateurish photos are on the early walks as I had not acquired a digital camera. Any corrections of errors/ additional facts gratefully received. Enjoy the coast!adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-1645446015048679582016-12-13T08:48:00.002-08:002016-12-15T10:33:53.069-08:00Index to all the walks on this blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<u>WALKING THE ENGLISH COAST THE EASY WAY BLOG</u></div>
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<u>INDEX</u></div>
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So that the walk guides can be easily located from previously
published posts in the archive they are listed here.
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Photos on walks 1-45 and 78 to 112 were ,</div>
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‘mashups’ of poorer quality, the rest are better when I acquired
a digital compatible camera.</div>
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<u>WALK NO</u> <u>TITLE </u> <u>DATE PUBLISHED</u></div>
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LEG ONE BROADSTAIRS TO BERWICK UPON TWEED </div>
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1 Broadstairs to Westgate on Sea (Kent) August 2010</div>
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2 Westgate on Sea to Herne Bay (Kent) </div>
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3 Herne Bay to Faversham (Kent) September 2010</div>
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4 Faversham to Sittingbourne (Kent)</div>
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5 Queenborough to Minster (Isle of Sheppey) October 2010</div>
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6 Warden to The Ferry Inn/Harty Ferry (Isle of Sheppey)</div>
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7 Elmley Marshes to Dutchman’s Island (Isle of Sheppey)</div>
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8 Circular walk around Chetney Marshes (Isle of Sheppey)</div>
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9 Lower Halstow to Gillingham (Medway) </div>
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10 Chatham to Rochester via St Mary’s Island (Medway) November
2010</div>
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11 Frindsbury to Hoo to St Werburgh on Hoo Peninsula (Medway)</div>
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12 Grain, Allhallows on Sea and Yanlet Creek (Isle of Grain-Kent)</div>
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13 All Hallows on Sea to Cliffe (Isle of Grain, Kent)</div>
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14 Cliffe to Gravesend (Medway) December 2010</div>
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15 Tilbury to Stanford Le Hope (Essex)</div>
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16 Canvey Island (Essex)</div>
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17 South Benfleet to Southend on Sea (Essex) January 2011</div>
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18 Southend on Sea to Great Wakering (Essex)</div>
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19 Rochford to Wallasea Island (Essex) </div>
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20 North Fambridge to Burrnham on Crouch (Essex) February 2011</div>
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21 Burnham on Crouch to Tillingham (Essex) </div>
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22 Bradwell on Sea to St Lawrence (Essex) March 2011</div>
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23 St Lawrence to Maylandsea (Essex)</div>
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24 Maylandsea to Goldhanger (Essex)</div>
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25 Goldhanger to Tollesbury (Essex)</div>
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26 West Mersea to Brightlingsea (Essex) </div>
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27 Lee over Sands to Clacton on Sea (Essex) April 2011</div>
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28 Clacton on Sea to The Naze (Essex)</div>
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29 Kirby Le Soken to Thorpe Le Soken (Essex)</div>
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30 Dovercourt, Harwich and Mistley (Essex)</div>
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31 Stutton to Chelmondiston (Suffolk) May 2011</div>
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32 Nacton to Felixstowe (Suffolk)</div>
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33 Felixstowe to Butley (Suffolk)</div>
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34 Orford to River Alde opposite Aldeburgh + return + The
Maltings June 2011</div>
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35 Aldeburgh to Southwold (Suffolk) </div>
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36 Kessingland to Lowestoft (Suffolk)</div>
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37 Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) July 2011</div>
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38 Great Yarmouth to Winterton on Sea (Norfolk)</div>
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39 Sea Palling to Mundesley (Norfolk)</div>
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40 Overstrand to Sheringham (Norfolk) August 2011</div>
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41 Sheringham to Stiffkey (Norfolk)</div>
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42 Stiffkey to Burnham Overy Staithe (Norfolk)</div>
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43 Burnham Overy Staithe to Brancaster (Norfolk) September 2011</div>
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44 Thornham to Heacham (Norfolk)</div>
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45 Kings Lynn to Sutton Bridge (Lincs) October 2011</div>
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46 Spalding to Boston (Lincs)</div>
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47 Boston to Wrangle (Lincs)</div>
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48 Skegness to Chapel to St Leonards (Lincs) November 2011</div>
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49 Chapel St Leonards to Mablethorpe</div>
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50 Theddlethorpe St Helens to Saltfleet and back (Lincs)</div>
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51 Cleethorpes to Immingham (Lincs) December 2011</div>
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52 Goxhill Haven to Hessle (Yorks)</div>
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53 Hessle to Hull (Yorks)</div>
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54 Hedon to Thorngumbald via Paull (Yorks) January 2012</div>
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55 Kilnsea to Spurn Head and back (Yorks)</div>
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56 Withernsea, Aldbrough, Mappleton, Hornsea, Skipsea (Yorks) </div>
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57 Bridlington to Flamborough Head (Yorks) February 2012</div>
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58 Flamborough Head to Filey (Yorks) </div>
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59 Filey to Scarborough (Yorks)</div>
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60 Scarborough to Ravenscar (Yorks) March 2012</div>
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61 Ravenscar to Whitby (Yorks)</div>
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62 Whitby to Staithes (Yorks)</div>
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63 Staithes to Redcar (Yorks) April 2012</div>
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64 Middlesborough, North Gare Sands, Hartlepool (Durham)</div>
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65 Hartlepool to Seaham
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66 Seaham to Sunderland (Tyne and Wear) May 2012</div>
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67 Sunderland to South Shields (Tyne and Wear)</div>
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68 Newcastle to North Shields (Tyne and Wear)</div>
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69 North Shields to Whitley Bay (Tyneside) June 2012</div>
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70 Whitley Bay to Blyth (Northumberland)</div>
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71 Newbiggin by Sea to Amble (Northumberland) </div>
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72 Amble to Craster (Northumberland) July 2012</div>
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73 Craster to Seahouses (Northumberland)</div>
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74 Seahouses to Belford (Northumberland) August 2012</div>
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75 Lindisfarne or Holy Island</div>
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76 Opposite Holy Island to Berwick upon Tweed (Northumberland)</div>
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77 Berwick upon Tweed to the border with Scotland September 2012</div>
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LEG 2 BROADSTAIRS TO LANDS END</div>
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78 Broadstairs to Sandwich (Kent)</div>
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79 Sandwich to Dover (Kent) October 2012</div>
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80 Dover to Hythe (Kent)</div>
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81 Dymchurch to D ungensess (Kent)</div>
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82 Camber sands to rye and Winchelsea Beach (East Sussex) November
2012</div>
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83 Winchelsea Beach to Hastings (East Sussex) </div>
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84 Hastings to Bexhill (East Sussex)</div>
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85 Bexhill to Eastbourne (East Sussex) December 2012</div>
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86 Eastbourne to Cuckmere Haven (East Sussex)</div>
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87 Cuckmere Haven to Newhaven (East Sussex) January 2013</div>
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88 Newhaven to Brighton (East Sussex)</div>
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89 Brighton to Worthing (West Sussex)</div>
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90 Worthing to Littlehampton (West Sussex)</div>
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91 Littlehampton to Pagham (West Sussex) March 2013</div>
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92 Pagham to Selsey (West Sussex)</div>
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93 East Wittering to Bosham (West Sussex) April 2013</div>
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94 Bosham to Southbourne (West Sussex)</div>
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95 Southborne – Thorney Island – Emsworth (Hants) May 2013</div>
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96 Hayling Island (Hants) June 2013</div>
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97 Hayling Island to Portsmouth (Hants)</div>
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98 Fishbourne to Bembridge (Isle of Wight)</div>
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99 Bembridge to Ventnor (Isle of Wight) July 2013</div>
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100 Ventnor to Brighstone (Isle of Wight)</div>
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101 Brighstone to Alum Bay (Isle of Wight) August 2013</div>
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102 Alum Bay to Yarmouth (Isle of Wight)</div>
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103 Gurnard Bay to East Cowes (Isle of Wight) September 2013</div>
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104 Porchester to Fareham then Hardway to Alverstoke (Hants) October
2013</div>
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105 Alverstoke to Bursledon (Hants)</div>
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106 Hamble Rice to Southampton (Hants) </div>
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107 Hythe, Calshot, Lepe and Bucklers Hard (Hants) November 2013</div>
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108 Lymington to Barton on Sea (Hants) December 2013</div>
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109 Barton on Sea to Christchurch (Dorset) January 2014</div>
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110 Christchurch to Bournemouth (Dorset)</div>
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111 Bournemouth to Poole (Dorset) February 2014</div>
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112 Brownsea Island and Sandbanks to Swanage (Dorset)</div>
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113 Swanage to Worth Matravers (Dorset) March 2014</div>
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114 Worth Matravers to Kimmeridge Bay (Dorset) </div>
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115 Kimmeridge Bay to Lulworth Cove (Dorset) April 2014</div>
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116 Lulworth Cove to Weymouth (Dorset)</div>
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117 Weymouth and Portland (Dorset) May 2014</div>
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118 Weymouth to Abbotsbury (Dorset) June 2014</div>
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119 Abbotsbury to Bridport (Dorset) July 2014</div>
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120 Bridport to Charnmouth (Dorset) August 2014</div>
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121 Lyme Regis to Seaton (Devon) September 2014</div>
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122 Seaton to Sidmouth (Devon) October 2014</div>
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123 S idmouth to Budleigh Salterton (Devon) </div>
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124 Budleigh Salterton to Lympstone, Topsham plus A La
Ronde. November 2014</div>
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125 Exeter to Starcross (Devon) December 2014</div>
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126 Starcross to Teignmouth (Devon) January 2015</div>
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127 Teignmouth to Torquay (Devon)</div>
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128 Torquay to Brixham (Devon) February 2015</div>
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129 Brixham to Kingswear (Devon) March 2015</div>
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130 Dartmouth to Torcross (Devon) April 2015</div>
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131 Torcross to East Portlemouth May 2015</div>
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132 Salcombe to Thurlestone (Devon) June 2015</div>
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133 Thurlestone to Bigbury on Sea (Devon)</div>
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134 Mothercombe to Erme Mouth and Wembury (Devon) July 2015</div>
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135 Wembury to Plymouth (Devon)</div>
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136 Plymouth to Saltash (Cornwall) </div>
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137 Plymouth to Millbrook (Cornwall) </div>
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138 Millbrook to Seaton (Cornwall) August 2015</div>
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139 Seaton to Polperro (Cornwall)</div>
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140 Polperro to Fowey (Cornwall) September 2015</div>
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141 Fowey to St Austell (Cornwall)</div>
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142 St Austell, Megavissey, Gorran Haven (Cornwall) October 2015</div>
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143 Gorran Haven to Portloe (Cornwall)</div>
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144 Portloe to Falmouth (Cornwall)</div>
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145 Falmouth to Helford Passage (Cornwall) November 2015</div>
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146 Helford Passage to St Keverne (Cornwall)</div>
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147 St Keverne to Lizard (Cornwall)</div>
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148 Lizard to Mullion (Cornwall)</div>
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149 Mullion to Praa Sands (Cornwall)</div>
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150 Praa Sands to Marazion and St Michaels Mount (Cornwall) December
2015</div>
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151 St Michaels Mount to Penzance and Newlyn (Cornwall)</div>
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152 Newlyn to Porthcurno (Cornwall)</div>
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153 Porthcurno to Lands End (Cornwall)</div>
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THIRD LEG LANDS END TO BRISTOL</div>
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154 Lands End to St Just (Cornwall)</div>
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155/156 St Just to Zennor and Zennor to St Ives (Cornwall) January
2016</div>
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157 St Ives to Hayle (Cornwall)</div>
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158 Hayle to Portreath (Cornwall)</div>
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159 Portreath to Perranporth (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
160 Perranport to Newquay (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
161 Newquay to Mawgan Porth (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
162 Mawgan Porth to Constantine Bay (Cornwall) February 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
163 Constantine Bay to Padstow (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
164 Rock to Port Issac (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
165 Port Issac to Tintagel (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
166 Tintagel to Crackington Haven (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
167 Crackington Haven to Bude (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
168 Bude to Morwenstow (Cornwall)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
169 Morwenstow to Hartland Quay (Devon) March 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
170 Hartland Quay to Clovelly (Devon)
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
171 Clovelly to Westward Ho! (Devon)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
172 Westward Ho! To Bideford (Devon)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
173 Bideford to Barnstaple (Devon)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
174 Barnstaple to Woolacombe (Devon) April 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
175 Woolacombe to Ilfracombe (Devon)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
176 Ilfracombe to Coombe Martin (Devon) May 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
177 Coombe Martin to Lynton (Devon)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
178 Lynmouth to Porlock Weir (Somerset)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
179 Porlock Weir to Minehead (Somerset)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
180 Minehead to Watchett (Somerset)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
181 Bridgewater and Combwich cicular walk (Somerset) June 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
182 Highbridge to Weston super Mare (Somerset)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
183 Clevedon to Portishead, Severn Beach and Bristol July 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
FOURTH LEG GRETNA GREEN TO CHESTER</div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
184 Gretna Green to Carlisle (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
185 Carlisle to Bowness on Solway (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
186 Bowness on Solway to Anthorn (Cumbria) August 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
187 Skinburness – Silloth – Maryport (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
188 Maryport to Workington (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
189 Workington to Whitehaven (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
190 Whitehaven to Sellafield (Cumbria) September 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
191 Sellafield to Bootle Station (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
192 Bootle Station to Millom (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
193 Askam in Furness to Walney Island and Barrow in Furness (Cumbria)
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
194 Barrow in Furness to Ulverston (Cumbria) October 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
195 Grange over Sands, Arnside and Morecambe (Cumbria)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
196 Fleetwood to Blackpool (Lancs) </div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
197 Blackpool to Freckleton (Lancs) November 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
198 Southport to Formby (Lancs)</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
199 Crosby to Liverpool</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
200 Liverpool to Cressington December 2016</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
201 Liverpool to West Kirby (Wirral)</div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
202 Chester</div>
</div>
adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-19984671824500647102016-12-12T08:47:00.000-08:002016-12-12T09:21:54.015-08:00Walk 202 Chester<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" name="__DdeLink__565_534125722"></a>
<b>Walk 20</b><b>2</b><b> </b><b>Chester</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 117</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
2 to 4 miles</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
Easy</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
pavement, cycle path</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking (paid)</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Main line train links</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Although
Chester is not strictly a coastal town I thought
it gave a bit of symmetry to finish
the walk by walking to the border with Wales. This can be done by
following the cycle path marked on the OS map up to the border. I
could not find a marker to
say ‘Wales’ but there was
a lot of work taking place on the banks when
I went..
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Chester
itself, is of course, an interesting place to explore. I will list
the ones I enjoyed the most:</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Roman Walls – these are the most complete city walls in the UK.
They can be walked around and
have some interesting remains from Roman times.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Queen Victoria Jubilee clock. It
is in the Eastgate and is the second most photographed clock in
England (behind Big Ben).</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
shopping centre called The Rows.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
old and new cathedrals St Werburgh and St Johns.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Roodee the oldest horse racing
course still in use in the UK.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Some
interesting pubs.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This
is the last post on Walking the English coast apart from an index to
the walks.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</div>
adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-67738160337014366332016-12-12T06:25:00.001-08:002016-12-12T06:28:12.813-08:00Walk 201 Liverpool to West Kirby (Wirral)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" name="__DdeLink__565_534125722"></a>
<b>Walk 201 Liverpool to West Kirby (Wirral)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 108</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
14 miles or 23 km approx</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
Easy, flat.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
pavement, promenade and coastal path</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking in both places</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Ferry across the Mersey or train to Birkenhead. Train back
from West Kirby to Liverpool
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It
is possible to continue this walk all the way round to Neston and get
a train back from there. I did not do this, firstly because it was
October and the light would start to go
but mainly because the Wirral Country Park path is inland for the
most part and is
not really coastal.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On
arrival in Birkenhead navigate to the river front (if
going by train).
The white terminal of the Mersey Ferry is prominent. Records show
that there has been a ferry since the 12<sup>th</sup>
century when one was operated by Benedictine monks from their priory
here. The area is best known for ship building and related
industries. Two tunnels go under the Mersey, a rail one built in 1886
and one for cars etc. in 1934.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Start
walking northwards alongside the river. Two landmarks to look out for
on this stretch. The impressive Birkenhead Town Hall, now The Wirral
Museum, and Birkenhead Park, the first publicly funded park in the
UK. Enjoy the promenade with its good views across to Liverpool.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Further
along is The Ferry Inn originally part of the Ferry complex of the
1880s. Nearby are information plaques on the wall detailing the ships
lost in World War 2 with a connection to Birkenhead.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
At
the northern most end of the path is New Brighton. In the early 19<sup>th</sup>
century it had developed a reputation for smuggling, wrecking and
tunnels – the latter are
said to still exist. New
Brighton was founded as a
resort in the 1830s and was popular because of its sandy beaches. It
had a tower similar to the one in Blackpool but this was dismantled
in 1921 due to lack of maintenance. The lighthouse was built in 1927
although it no longer functions and is used as a private residence.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Fort
Perch
is a clear landmark. It was built as a defence in the Napoleonic era
to protect Liverpool. It is now a naval museum.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
walk continues along the north coast for a couple of miles alongside
a golf course before coming to The Leasowe Castle Hotel. The older
part of this, which can be easily spotted, was built in the 16<sup>th</sup>
century. A little further along is The Leasowe Lighthouse which was
built in 1763. Its construction was prompted by many losses on the
sands including a ship loaded with cotton going aground in 1761. It’s
cargo was left to rot and with the combination of salt and sand it
hardened into a base for the new lighthouse. Nevertheless, it has
been closed since 1908. as by that time the sand dunes were
considered to be too unstable to support a lighthouse.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A
couple of miles further along is Hoylake. Look out for the lifeboat
station as it is one of the oldest in the UK having been founded in
1803. The new building opened in 2008 with an impressively sculpted
statue/memorial outside. It was from Hoylake that William 111 set
sail with his 10,000 strong army for the Battle of The Boyne in
Ireland.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Royal Hotel was built in the town in 1792 with the idea of developing
the area as a holiday resort. A race course was laid out in the
grounds but it was all demolished in the 1950s. Around the outskirts
of the town is the Royal Liverpool Golf Club which has held the
British Open. Several well known people have connections with Hoylake
including the cyclist Chris Boardman, the actress Glenda Jackson, the
actor Daniel Craig, Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Cynthia Lennon.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On
the walk between Hoylake and West Kirby is Red Rocks Nature Reserve.
The sand dunes provide homes for a variety of flora and fauna
including the natterjack toad.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
West
Kirby is at the mouth of the River Dee. Three islands can be seen
across the sands: Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre. Notices warn
that incoming tides are dangerous. There is a designated safe
crossing when the tide is out to reach the islands and guides
organise open days to ensure safety. On the land side are Coronation
Gardens and further down on the coast side is a 32 acre lake and
paddling pool bordered off from the sea. It was rebuilt in 1985 to
provide a better facility.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Photos show: across the Mersey from Birkenhead with ferry terminal; New Brighton Beach and Trench Fort; Lifeboat station at Hoylake; beach at West Kirby.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</div>
adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-80853973976477679102016-12-11T07:12:00.001-08:002016-12-11T07:16:30.456-08:00Walk 200 Liverpool to Cressington (alongside the Mersey)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
200 Liverpool to Cressington (alongside the Mersey) </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 108</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
6 miles or 10 km approx</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
Easy, flat.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
concrete paved river walk</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking in both places</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Frequent trains between Cressington and Liverpool Central.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Although
the walk starts near the Liver Building, Liverpool itself has much to
offer of interest. At least a day can be spent looking around. I
particularly enjoyed the Walker Art Gallery, The Roman Catholic
Cathedral (known locally as Paddy’s Wigwam), Liverpool Cof E
Cathedral designed by Gilbert Scott and, at 189 metres, the longest
in the world, The Slave Museum, Rodney Street (for old photographic
NT studio and pyramid tomb), The Philarmonic Pub and Matthew Street
(Cavern Club). Some others are mentioned below on the walk.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Soon
after The Liver Building is the Liverpool Cruise Terminal – a
floating structure oepned in 2007. A bit further along is The Titanic
Memorial which is dedicated to the 224 engine room staff who lost
their lives. They remained at their posts supplying electricity and
other amenities so others could survive. On the land side you cannot
miss the impressive Port of Liverpool Building formerly the Mersey
Docks and Harbour Board offices. Clad in Portland stone it is a
listed building. In front of the building is the statue of Sir Alfred
Lewis Jones a shipowner who was the founder of the Liverpool School
of Tropical Medicine.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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Departures
for the world famous ferry across the Mersey are on the riverside.
Past this point are a number of sculptures to admire. These include:
Captain F J Walker 1896-1944 dedicated to him and all those who
fought in the Battle of the Atlantic in World War 2; sculptures
outside the Museum of Liverpool celebrating 2008 when the city was
the European Capital of Culture; the propeller from the Lusitania
which was torpedoed in 1915 with the loss of 1201 lives; the Working
Horse Monument marking the importance of horses which for 250 years
pulled goods around the city; Billy Fury the pop singer who died at
42. Near the Tate Gallery are sculpted figures commemorating the 9
million people who emigrated from Liverpool to the New World. I could
go on!</div>
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This
area, part of the Old Albert Dock, was a complex of buildings opened
in 1846. It was a base for the Atlantic Fleet in World War 2. Near
here is The Beatles Experience – I did not have time to go in here
though.</div>
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Continue
the walk past the Liverpool Museum (although you will need to wander
back away from the river as well to appreciate all that is on offer
in this former docks area). On the front is The Old Pilot Office in
use between 1883 and 1978. It was the base for the service which is
still use today, that of providing a pilot to vessels entering and
leaving the Mersey.</div>
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Further
along is The Liverpool Arena and the Ferris wheel. After this there
is less hustle and bustle as the walk passes park land alongside the
Mersey. Otterpool Promenade was opened in 1950 and was made by
landscaping a waste disposal site. The name derives from the otters
that inhabited a tidal creek that joined the River Mersey.
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This
walk is quite pleasant although the industry at Garston and beyond
gets ever closer. You are nearing the end when you spot the large
pink sculpture called Sitting Bull near to the river side at
Aigburth. This is a sculpture created for a local garden festival in
1984. The walk for this part of t\he coast finishes at Cressington.</div>
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Photos show: Working horse sculpture, Albert Dock, Liverpool; part of Albert Dock; Otterpool; Sitting Bull, Aigburth.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-7910859989504443072016-11-27T10:41:00.003-08:002016-12-11T03:54:11.810-08:00Walk 199 Crosby to Liverpool <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
199 Crosby to Liverpool </b>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 108</div>
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Distance:
10 miles or 16 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy mainly flat.</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path, road walking (tedious at times)</div>
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Access:
Parking in both places</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Frequent trains run between Hall Road Station (to the
north of) Crosby and Liverpool Central.
</div>
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The
walk between Formby and Crosby is best avoided because of the
dangerous areas that contain military rifle ranges leaving little
access to the coast. The walk therefore starts to the north of Crosby
on the coast near Hall Road Station.
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The
major feature of the Blundell Sands at Crosby is ‘Another Place’.
This is a set of 100 life size sculptures of men looking out to sea.
They are spaced out on 3 kilometres of beach and up to I km out at
sea. They are secured on solid foundations and are cast iron replicas
of the artist, Anthony Gormley. Some have become submerged and are
gaining character as they are affected by the elements. See
photograph underneath.
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Crosby
itself goes back to Viking times and the name originally meant
‘village of the cross’. Several well known people come from the
area including Kenny Everett and Anne Robinson – Cherie Blair went
to school here. Follow the cycle path down to Waterloo. On the
opposite bank are the buildings of Wallasey.
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The
path skirts the Marine Lake before cutting inwards near Seaforth.
Look out for the large mural which tells the story of the area
between 1900 and 1914. It pictures The Dockers Umbrella, an overhead
railway for dock workers, which was demolished in 1970. Also featured
are The Titanic (many officers and crew lived nearby), old trams and
a bathing machine.</div>
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From
here on the walk to Bootle is a bit of a slog. The pavement is
alongside a very busy and noisy main road. The docks and shipyards
once stretched for ten miles but are now mostly concentrated on the
Bootle waterfront. It is impossible to miss the busy entrance to The
Port of Liverpool which deals with grain and containers (recently
expanded and updated, I understand). Once the second biggest port by
tonnage handled, Liverpool is now the seventh busiest.
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Just
before the Sandhills area, turn left along the A5038 which is a
quieter road with more interesting buildings to see. Follow this road
all the way into Liverpool. Many derelict buildings were evident when
I walked this stretch. On a more positive note, on the River Mersey
Side, the impressive Jesse Hartley Clocktower can be viewed through
gaps in the walls/buildings. Built in 1848 it is also known as
Victoria Tower and served as an aid to ships with accurate time and
weather warnings. Look out for Stanley Dock on the left hand side of
the road. This was also designed by Hartley and opened in 1848. It
looked rather derelict when I walked past but it is a Grade 2 listed
building purported to be the biggest brick building in the world with
27 million bricks. On the right hand side of the road is the old
entrance to Clarence Dock (named after the Duke of Clarence who
became William 1V). The dock was filled in 1929, then a power station
was built on the site, then this was demolished in 1990. A plaque on
the old dock wall explains that through the dock gates poured most of
the 1,300,000 Irish migrants who fled the Great Famine between in
Ireland between 1845 and 1852.</div>
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Further
along, at the end of the road, is the modern frontage at Princes
Dock- this area was redeveloped from the 1821 old docks.
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The
walk finishes at The Royal Liver Building – an iconic structure
overlooking The Mersey. This is a Grade 1 listed building of 1911 and
still houses The Royal Liver Assurance Group. It was one of the first
buildings in the World to use reinforced concrete and was the tallest
building in the UK until 1961. Be sure too look out for the Liver
Bird sculptures on top of the building. This building and the tow next to it - The Cunard Building and The Port of Liverpool Building are known as The Three Graces.</div>
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More
about Liverpool on the next walk.
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Photos show: Another Place, Crosby - one of the sculptures, others in the background; the mural near Seaforth; Stanley Docks building, Liverpool; Jesse Hartley tower; Liver Building.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-62270123904001341352016-11-16T10:16:00.001-08:002016-12-11T03:43:04.575-08:00Walk 198 Southport to Formby (Lancs)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
198 Southport to Formby (Lancs)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 108</div>
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Distance:
13 miles or 20km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, flat although if the tide is in and you have to walk along the
dunes it could be more challenging</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path, sand and pavement.
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Access:
Parking in both places</div>
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Public
transport: Trains run between Southport and Formby</div>
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<br /></div>
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Most
of the coast is inaccessible between Freckleton, Preston and beyond
so I started the walk at Southport. It is worthwhile having a look
around Southport before venturing on to the coastal walk.</div>
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Southport
was founded in 1792. When an innkeeper built a bathing house here in
the 19<sup>th</sup> century it became popular with tourists due to
its easy access from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. In 1886 the worst
lifeboat disaster in history occurred near the town when 28 lifeboat
crew were drowned attempting to help a cargo ship.
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The
elegant, tree lined Lord Street in Southport, with its landmark war
memorial and shops, is of particular interest. Napoleon 3<sup>rd</sup>
lived here before returning to France to become emperor in 1851. It
is thought that the boulevards, covered walkways and shopping arcades
in Paris were inspired by Lord Street.
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Walk
out of the town towards the Marine Lake going past the Queen Victoria
Statue and on to the Marine Lake Promenade. A stroll northwards up
this road past the casino is the old Southport Promenade Hospital, a
grade 2 listed building of 1852. It is now luxury apartments but was
an important military convalescent hospital during the world wars,
then a specialist unit for spinal and orthopaedic injuries. It closed
in 1990. On a lighter note, The Lakeside Inn, which was closed when I
was there in 2013, claims to be the smallest pub in Britain with a
bar of just 22 feet by 16 feet – I am not sure whether it
still holds the record.
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Cross
the impressive Marine Lake Bridge and down the road to the pier. The
lake opened in 1887 and is one of the largest man made leisure lakes
in England.
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A
stroll just north of the pier gives a good view over the sands back
to the River Ribble and Lytham. The pier, built in 1860, is a listed
structure and starts a fair bit inland. It is the second longest pier
in the UK after Southend and one of the first to be constructed using
iron. Like most piers, it suffered a fire which caused it to be
shortened. It was restored in the early 2000s after there were plans
to demolish it. A tram runs from Southport Promenade to the end. This
was originally installed to transport luggage from steam ships which
stopped at the end of the pier.
</div>
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The
walk follows the road southwards and, providing the tide is out,
there are 7 miles of golden sands to enjoy. The beach is popular with
horse racing stables who use it for training; the three time Grand
National Winner, Red Rum was often to be seen here. The sands have
also been used for attempts at the land speed record.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Further
down the promenade, look out for the structure which marks the end of
the Trans Pennine Walking and Cycling Trail. It goes across the
country finishing at Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast. According
to the information board much of it is surprisingly flat.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Continue
the walk to Ainsdale on the Pennine Trail which runs parallel to the
road. (It <i>may</i> be possible to walk along the dunes instead). On
the roundabout at Ainsdale-on-Sea (Shore Road) there is a sculpture
of an aircraft which commemorates ‘The Coronation Flight’ of May
1937. This was an important 24 hour transatlantic flight to New York
by a twin engine monoplane which took off from the nearby sands. It
became known as the Coronation Flight as the pilot was commissioned
to transport newsreel coverage of the coronation of George V1. The
nearby lake, which is part of the Sands Lake Nature Trail, is a good
place to stop for a rest.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Near
to the Velvet Trail (a circular walk) is access to the beach. I
walked along the beach from here to Formby Point. Unusually, there
are finger posts in the sand indicating paths inland. At Formby Point
there is one marked into the town. Red squirrels live in the dunes.
Christmas trees are donated to the National Trust and planted in the
dunes to help prevent erosion of the sand dunes. The beach here is
the location of the first lifeboat station in 1776. The last launch
took place in 1916.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Further
along the beach MOD notices warn of the dangerous rifle ranges. The
noise of rifle fire gives fair warning!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Formby
is a well off area with many Everton and Liverpool footballers
choosing to live here. The ukulele player and comedian George Formby
adopted the name of the town while waiting for a train.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Photos show: a view along Southport Pier with tram tracks; the marker at Southport Beach for the end of the Trans Pennine Walking and Cycling Trail; aircraft sculpture at Ainsdale; path signpost on the beach walk to Formby Point.</div>
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<br /></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-9803061884936040532016-11-07T10:32:00.000-08:002016-12-11T03:34:31.982-08:00Walk 197 Blackpool to Freckleton (Lancs)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
197 Blackpool to Freckleton (Lancs)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 102</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
15 miles or 25km approx</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
Easy, flat</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
coastal path and pavement.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking in both places</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: 68 bus goes frequently between the two towns and takes
about an hour</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Start
out at The Blackpool Tower which is well worth a visit </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">(</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">on
another day</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">).
Don’t miss</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
the ballroom and viewing platform </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">as
t</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">he
views down the coast are stunning. The tower was opened in 1894 and
was Britain’s highest building (518 feet) for many years. It is
based on the Eiffel Tower and is made from 5 million bricks, 2500
tons of iron and 93 tons of cast steel. It is not free standing –
the base is hidden by a building which houses the Tower Circus. There
is a 7 year cycle of repair work </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">undertaken</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
by workers known as ‘stick men’. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the promenade, near the tower, is The Comedy Carpet, </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">a
paved area</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
which features jokes and catchphrases by over 1000 comedia</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ns</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">.
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Good
fun.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">The
walk from here south is known as The Golden Mile </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">and
includes</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
Madame Tussaud’s waxworks </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">as
well as traditional seaside attractions</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">.
I went when the famous illuminations were on </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">and
although this</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">can
be a </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">good
time to visit </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">it
is</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
a bit chancy with the weather. The town developed in the nineteenth
century as developers saw the potential for cheap holidays aimed at
low paid Lancashire mill workers and their families. The resort was
greatly enhanced by the arrival of the railway. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">About
half a mile south of the tower is The Central Pier. In contrast to
the more genteel North Pier the emphasis here is more on fun. It was
built in 1864 and a </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Ferris</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
wheel was added in 1990. Further down is The </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">S</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">outh
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">P</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ier,
also known as Victoria Pier, was originally intended to be more
upmarket when built in 1893 but now contains a number of rides. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">After
a short walk the path moves away from the sea and passes Blackpool
Pleasure Beach. This is the most visited tourist attraction in the UK
and is in the top twenty amusement parks in the world. The slogan
outside says: ‘See it, feel it, love it’. It was founded in 1896
and the scary ‘Big One’ was opened in 1994 – it was the tallest
and fastest in the world at the time. Definitely not for me!</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Returning
to the promenade look out for the sculpture </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">constructed</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">in
2002 </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">called
‘They shoot horses don’t they’. It is the world’s largest
mirror ball and has 45000 mirror tiles. The name refers to the 1969
film about dance marathons of the American </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">D</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">epression;
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">it</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
links with Blackpool’s strong dance traditions. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">After
about half a mile the walk continues along the main road which is
rather tedious. It may be possible to walk along the sand dunes but
the wind was whipping sand up so I did not try it. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Just
before the pier in Lytham St Annes is a specially commissioned
sensory garden with a larger than life statue of the comedian Les
Dawson. He lived in the town with his wife and daughter and described
it as ‘so posh that when we eat cod and chips we wear yachting
caps’. The town, which is also known as St Annes on Sea, was a
planned </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">development
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">which
opened in 1875. I</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">n
recent times it has been</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
an international centre for sand yachting </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">activity
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">but
this</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">was
suspended in</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
2002 when a visitor was killed by a sand yacht. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">St
Annes</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
was the original centre for premium bonds – this has now been moved
to Blackpool.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">At
Fairhaven Marine Lake and Gardens </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">there</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
is an impressive full size replica of a Spitfire. This is a tribute
to airmen f</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ro</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">m
the area lost in World War 2. The salt water lake built at the end of
the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
century is an important wildfowl habitat. Back inland is an
interesting white structure. I took a walk up to have a look. It is
the Fairhaven United Reform Church which opened in 1912 and known
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">locally</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
as The White Church. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">It
imitates Byzantine architecture and is probably a unique place of
worship in the UK.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Continue
along to Lytham and its landmark windmill. It was built in the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
century and functioned until 1919 when a gale caused a fire. It was
restored in 1988 and now houses a museum telling the history of
mil</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">l</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ing.
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">The
town overlooks the estuary of the River Ribble.</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Lytham
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">was
for many years dependent on fishing and shrimpin</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">g
then</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
grew when seaside cures and tourism became popular. Now it</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
is one of the wealthiest areas of Lancashire partly due to highly
paid jobs at nearby BAE Systems.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Follow
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">the
Coastal Way out of Lytham, across the bridge and alongside the marsh
to Warton Bank. The path skirts around Warton Aerodrome which was a
depot for the US </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">A</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ir
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">F</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">orce
in World War 2. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">An
air disaster in 1944 occurred when an airc</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">r</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">aft
attempting to land crashed into a school ki</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ll</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ing
61 people including 38 children. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">BAE
took over </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">the
airfield</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
in the 1960s </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">and</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
bec</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">a</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">me
its testing facility. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">H</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">igh
speed aircraft wreck the peace</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ful
walk</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">at
times.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">T</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">ake
care with the walk into Freckleton as parts of it are </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">difficult
to identify</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">
and there is some very marshy ground </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">nearby.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos show: a view south from the Blackpool Tower; 'They shoot horses don't they' glass sculpture in south Blackpool; Les Dawson sculpture, Lytham St Annes; Spitfire memorial, Fairhaven Marine Lake; windmill at Lytham.</span></span></span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-45929738148872262462016-10-23T10:16:00.001-07:002016-12-11T02:36:26.746-08:00Walk 196 Fleetwood to Blackpool (Lancs)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
196 Fleetwood to Blackpool (Lancs)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Map:
L/R 102</div>
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Distance:
12 miles or 18km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy overall – a few hills but nothing strenuous.</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path and pavement.
</div>
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Access:
Parking in both places</div>
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Public
transport: Very good tram service between the two towns</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">During
the summer this walk could be extended </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">northwards
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">to
Knott End on Sea and </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">up
to</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
Pilling Lane. A summer ferry runs between Fleetwood and Knott </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">End</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">(over
the River Wyre)</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
providing </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">the
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">w</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">ea</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">ther
conditions are suitable. I had a stroll </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">up</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
here </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">but</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">,
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">at
the time, it did not look</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
the most attractive of places with an outlook over muddy sand.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">At
Fleetwood, a ferry used to run to Larne in Northern Ireland. The
service to the Isle of Man stopped over 50 years ago. Fleetwood has three lighthouses. The Upper
Lighthouse is referred to as The Pharos after one of the seven
wonders of the world </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">(</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">then
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">in
Alexandria, Egypt</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">)</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">.
It is an impressive structure. Further round from the town is the
lifeboat station built in 1858. It has a long and proud record of
rescues which are recorded on a nearby plaque. An 'n' shaped
sculpture depicting equipment used on a trawler is also close to the
sea and is dedicated to the fishermen who served the community for
generations. Further along is a sculpture of a family on the spot
where wives and children welcomed their menfolk back from the sea.
The fish port has declined since the 1970s. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Look
out for the Lower Lighthouse built in 1840. A couple of miles out to
sea is the Wyre lighthouse which is no longer in use. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the land-side of the coast is The North Euston Hotel </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">originally
built to serve guests to and from Euston in London. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Most
then</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
depart</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">ed</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
on steamers to Scotland. One of the passengers was Queen Victoria in
1847. In the 1850s the journey became </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">obsolete</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
with the opening of a direct rail li</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">nk</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">between</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
London </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">and</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
Scotland. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Fleetwood
rail</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
station was eventually closed as part of the Beeching cuts in the
early 1960s. It was </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">still
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">a
popular holiday resort at this time and John Lennon spent his
childhood holidays here.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">North
Euston</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">H</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">otel
was</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">the
centre piece </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">of
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">the
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">development
of the town undertaken by Peter Hesketh Fleetwood in 1831. The town,
which is named after him, was landscaped </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">into
a half wheel shape using a sandy dune called The Mount as a focal
point. This can be </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">clearly
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">seen
from the promenade.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Further
along the sea front is the old radar station which is a listed
building. It was built for practical training and is now owned by a
local college for nautical studies. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Soon
after this</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
are Fleetwood Lakes. One of them is used by Blackpool and Fylde
College for nautical training. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">An
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">interesting
looking vessel like a submarine was suspended over the lake </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">when
I went</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">.
Another lake is used by a model yacht and power boat club which was
established when the lakes were formed in 1929. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Both
lakes</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">are</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
filled from the sea. You won't miss the many ducks, geese and swans
wandering around on the grass. A notice nearby gives information
about the mute swans that live here. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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A
flat concrete path adjacent to the sea wall leads in to Cleveleys.
When the tide goes out golden sands are revealed beyond the pebbles.
Helpful information boards identify landmarks, birds, seaweed,
pebbles and shells. A cable connecting wind turbines out at sea to
the National Grid comes ashore here.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cleveleys
is about four miles north of Blackpool. The town dates back to the
nineteenth century and was named after a Mr Cleveley who built a
hotel here. At the start of World War 2 several government
departments were temporarily housed in the town. Some were in the
nearby Rossal School which is an independent school founded in 1844
as a sister school to Marlborough College. Originally it was set up
for the sons of clergymen but is now co-educational. It houses a
space science and astronomy centre which (at the time of visiting)
was the only one of its type in the UK.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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On
the way into Blackpool look out for the large and impressive Norbeck
Castle Hotel with its 400 rooms, 22 conference centres plus pool and
cinema. It was built in the 1900s and was popular with royalty and
celebrities. If you go in late summer/autumn you may well start to
see some of the highly creative Blackpool illuminations which go all
the way into Blackpool and out the other side. Well worth a visit if
you can go at the right time. Other landmarks to look out for on the
walk into the town include: the tower (obviously), the Baroque style
Cliffs Hotel, the emergency services sculpture and the 1867 Imperial
Hotel (Charles Dickens and the current Queen have stayed at this
impressive building).</div>
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<br /></div>
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This
walk finishes at The North Pier which was built in the 1860s. It is
the longest and oldest of Blackpool's three piers. It originally
catered for the 'better class' market with orchestral concerts and
'respectable' comedians. It is a listed building which has survived
despite damage from ships and fires. The 1500 seat theatre, built in
1938, has attracted a number of famous acts including Morecambe and
Wise.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
More
about Blackpool on the next walk.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Photos show: The Upper Lighthouse, Fleetwood; The fishermen's sculpture overlooking Fleetwood beach; Dalek illuminations north of Blackpool town centre; Imperial Hotel Blackpool.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-47454426828443857812016-10-19T10:55:00.000-07:002016-12-11T02:29:20.343-08:00Walk 195 Grange over Sands, Arnside and Morecambe (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
195 Grange over Sands, Arnside and Morecambe (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 96/97</div>
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Distance:
Kent Bank to Grange over Sands 2 miles/3 km approx. Arnsdie stroll is
about a mile. Bolton Le Sands – Morecambe – Heysham -7 miles/11
km approx.</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path and pavement.
</div>
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Access:
Parking in all 3 places</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between Barrow and Kent Bank/Grange over Sands and
Arnside. Arnside to Morecambe - change at Lancaster. Buses 5 and 755
go regularly between Morecambe and Bolton Le Sands</div>
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The
coastal path often cuts inland and is not very close to the sea so I
opted to visit the three places above by train.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Kent
Bank station is a mile or so before Grange over Sands. This area was
originally on the estuary of the River Kent but the path of the river
has changed over the years. Looking back from Kent Bank is
Humphrey's Head which is now a nature reserve. Legend has it that the
last wolf in England was killed here.
</div>
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Follow
the path into Grange over Sands. If you were expecting a nice sandy
beach (as I was) then you will be disappointed. What is actually
there is a kind of marsh land with treacherous sand underneath. Many
people have died over the years when the tide rushes in. No access to
the beach is allowed. On the positive side the coast around here is
home to 200,000 wintering wildfowl.</div>
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It
is worth a stroll back into the rather pleasant town of Grange with
its welcoming lack of supermarkets and quite impressive church. I
hope Lancasters, selling an extensive range of hardware and other
goods, is still going. Near the station is an attractive lake with
ornamental gardens which used to be part of the beach.
</div>
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Arnside
is worth a visit to get a good view of the coast northwards and down
towards Morecambe Bay. The tide rushes up the estuary here and
notices warn that they are fast rising resulting in quicksands. A
siren alerts all in the locality of the incoming tide. To walk across
Morecambe Bay Sands requires a local guide and should never be
attempted alone. The death of many cockle pickers a few years back is
a sad testament to this. Arnside itself was originally a fishing
village which became a resort with the arrival of the railway. There
is an interesting looking building (photo underneath) which is a bit
of a mystery. The<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
walk on to Arnside Knott, a nature reserve managed by the National
Trust, gives superb views of the coast.</span></span></span></div>
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It
is possible to start the next part of the walk from Silverdale.
However, I did not like the look of the inland walk nor the marshes
around Carnforth and opted to start the walk at Bolton Le Sands. This
is a pleasant old village whose name originated from the need to
distinguish it from Bolton, Lancs and other Boltons. The Lancaster
Canal built in the 1790s is a feature of the village.</div>
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Continue
the walk past Hest Bank and on to Bare on the outskirts of Morecambe.
Keep strictly to the path especially near Hest Bank. The walk from
here on follows the promenade and occasionally on pavement all the
way down to Heysham.</div>
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Morecambe
was a thriving resort in the mid twentieth century. It was home to
the Miss Great Britain contest between 1956 and 1989. Look out for
the 3D map which identifies the hills on the opposite side of
Morecambe Bay.
</div>
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Near
the centre of the town, on the seafront, is the clocktower and nearby
the art deco Midlands Hotel. On the seafront is a sculpture of Eric
Morecambe (real name Eric Bartholemew) who came from the town. A
great photo opportunity! The Stone Jetty displays some interesting
artwork, it was originally a railway terminus, built in 1853, which
served the Irish and Scottish ferries. You cannot miss the Polo Tower
which is a remnant of an old 'themed' fun fair park. It was a mobile
phone mast when I went but there were plans to develop it into a
high-tech landmark. Further down the road is the old Morecambe
Station, an impressive building which now houses the information
centre. (The new station, about half a mile away, is much less
impressive and is a one platform affair). The derelict Battery Pub
may no longer be there but was a reminder of the decline of the town
as a resort. Efforts are now being made to revive Morecambe. At Sandylands
there is a plaque marking the removal of the last of the two piers
and an aquarium in 1992.</div>
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The
walk finishes nearing Heysham. A ferry service to the Isle of Man
runs from here. I returned and walked back to the centre of Morecambe
although I wished I'd got a bus back as the skies opened.
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Photos show: Grange over Sands 'beach'; interesting but unidentified building in Arnside; Eric Morecambe sculpture in Morecambe; a view south of Morecambe towards Heysham. </div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-88845700002734281032016-10-05T02:13:00.002-07:002016-12-10T04:21:07.148-08:00Walk 194 Barrow in Furness to Ulverston (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
194 Barrow in Furness to Ulverston (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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Map:
L/R 96</div>
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Distance:
16 miles or 25km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, mostly flat</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path and pavement.
</div>
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Access:
Parking at both ends</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between Barrow and Ulverston</div>
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A
fairly long walk with a confusing start. Follow the A5087 out of
Barrow and take the road on the right after the railway bridge –
this is the Cumbria Coastal Way also marked as the Cistercian Way (a
walk that goes inland and follows a monastic theme). When I walked
here there were a number of diversions which required a bit of guess
work at times. Dilapidated old industrial buildings, sewage works and
a power station provide much of the scenery. However, the walking
became easier when the route followed a new cycle path.
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The
coastal way winds its way around to Roa Island which has not really
been an island since the 1840s when a causeway and later a road were
built. Not a lot to see here. It is home to about 100 people, there
is a yacht club, an old watch tower and ferries can be caught to
nearby Piel Island.
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Continue
the walk on the 'mainland' and along to Rampside. At low tide the
sands stretch for 2 miles out to sea. The path from here to just
outside Ulverston mostly follows the main road. In the 18<sup>th</sup>
century Rampside gained a reputation as a bathing resort and was
frequented by the poet William Wordsworth. In 1865 a small earthquake
caused serious damage to property. Rampside Lighthouse, also known as
The Needle (for obvious reasons), was built in the 19<sup>th</sup>
century. Look out for Rampside Hall on the land side of the road –
this listed building is well known for its 12 chimneys known as 'the
twelve apostles'.
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The
next few miles include the small settlements of Roosebeck and
Newbiggin. Although the map seems to show a beach route, I found that
the only option was to follow the path inland at Aldingham. This is
a very old settlement which is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Folklore has it that it that it used to be a much bigger place but it
was wasted away by the tide. Look out for St Cuthbert's Church which
was originally built in the 12<sup>th</sup> century, with additions
over the years. In the eastern wall of the church there is a hole
where it is believed that lepers could observe the services. The
church gets its name because Cuthbert's body was said to have rested
here on its way to be buried at Durham Cathedral.
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The
path returns to the beach near Baycliff, a farming and fishing
communitybefore it became an area for mining iron. Limestone is still
quarried in the area. A few miles further up is the very old
settlement of Bardsea with its stony beach. The area became
associated with the Quaker movement when its founder, George Fox,
married local land owner Margaret Fell. For a while Bardsea was an
important port for iron ore until the canal at Ulverston took the
business away.</div>
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Further
along, Chapel Island can be seen offshore. In the 14<sup>th</sup>
century Cistercian monks from nearby Conishead Priory built a small
chapel on the island. This no longer exists but a mock Victorian ruin
can be spotted. You can cross the sands at low tide but<u> local
advice must be sought</u> as the sands are <u>very dangerous</u>. I
did not attempt this.</div>
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Alongside
the path a notice on the fence invites walkers to tour the nearby
Buddhist Temple – free of charge. Soon after this the path cuts
inland opposite some interesting rock formations. Soon an old
chimney, the remains of a local brickworks, comes into view.
</div>
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Follow
the path around to the canal foot at Ulverston where gates built in
1940 seal off the canal from the sea. The port here got silted up in
the 18<sup>th</sup> century so in 1796 the shortest (less than 2
miles), widest, deepest and straightest canal in England was built.
During the 19<sup>th</sup> century more than 500 ships sailed into
the town every year and ship building flourished until 1878.
</div>
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The
path into Ulverston follows the canal and, although the buildings of
Glaxo Smith Kline do little to enhance the beauty of the
surroundings, the company do look after the canal and ensure it is
home to a variety of wildlife including ducks, swans, dragonflies and
diving beetles. Notices warn about the depth of the water.</div>
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On
entering Ulverston look out for the lighthouse shaped tower on the
hill. This was built in 1850 as a memorial to Sir John Barrow, a
secretary to the admiralty who was born in the town. It is open to
the public at certain times.</div>
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Be
sure to go to the centre of Ulverston to see the Laurel and Hardy
sculpture. Stan Laurel was born in the town in 1890 and there is a
museum devoted to the pair nearby. The Stan Laurel Inn is nearby for
refreshment!</div>
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Ulverston
Station is a particularly well kept and attractive place to wait for
a train.
<br />
<br />
Photos: the shore at Bardsea; interesting rock formation just before turning inland towards Ulverston; the gates of the Ulverston Canal where it meets the sea; Laurel and Hardy sculpture in Ulverston.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-89766078503669210322016-09-29T11:08:00.001-07:002016-12-10T04:11:56.871-08:00Walk 193 Askam in Furness to Walney Island and Barrow in Furness (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
193 Askam in Furness to Walney Island and Barrow in Furness (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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Map:
L/R 96</div>
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Distance:
12 miles or 20 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, flat</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path, small amount of road. Check tides around Askam as I was
told that the walk could be difficult across the sands.</div>
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Access:
Parking at both ends</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between Barrow and Askam</div>
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Rightly
or wrongly I took the advice of a local and started this walk at
Askam in Furness rather than Kirby in Furness. He said that Kirby
southwards could be very marshy and best avoided. (NB Furness is a peninsula but where did the name come from and what is the actual meaning - have not found a source to tell me),</div>
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The
streets of Askam are typical terraced rows which once housed the
workers of the local iron ore works and pits. Many of the workers
came here from mining areas in Ireland and Cornwall. Evidence of the
industry is still there, including the pier and names such as Steel
Street and Sharp Street (a person involved in early iron ore
extraction). Askam has its own lifeboat station.</div>
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The
walk along the Cumbrian Coastal Way is often along the beach – note
warnings above about tides. There a few dog walkers to start with,
but judging by my experience, you can expect a lonely walk until you
reach the outskirts of Barrow. Follow the path around Sandscale Haws
then to the (appropriately?) named Lowsy Point. The path eventually
moves inland and follows the route of the main road past the Dock
Museum and over on to Walney Island.</div>
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There
is no path around the coast of the island but you can get good views
by following the road to the western side. Jubilee Bridge takes you
over to the island across Walney Channel – the bridge gets its name
from the silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. A plaque on
the side also notes that it was freed from being a toll bridge in
1935. <span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Just
before the bridge are buildings owned by BAE Systems, the largest
employer in Barrow.</span></span></span></span></div>
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On
the right, as you cross on to the island, is the picturesque Ferry
Hotel – the site of the Barrow ferry before the bridge was built.
Near here there are thought to be plague victims buried in a mass
grave in 1631.</div>
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As
you move on to the island you enter Vickerstown which was originally
planned as a resort. Instead, Vickers, the Barrow shipbuilders,
developed a model estate for its workers similar to that built at
Port Sunlight on Merseyside.
</div>
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Follow
the road to the western coast and beach. This is a pleasant spot
where you can get good views in both directions. It extends for 12
miles. Walk a little further southwards to Biggar Bank with its
white, curved pavilion. A plaque nearby dated 1933 states that the
Bank and the pavilion were 'declared free for the use of the public
for ever'. There are nature reserves on both ends of the island where
natterjack toads, nesting gulls and the unique Walney Geranium can be
found. An elderly neighbour, sadly no longer with us, told me that a
false harbour was built on the island to confuse the Germans during
World War 2.
</div>
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Follow
the road back into Barrow. The town was originally settled around
Furness Abbey founded in 1172 but now a ruin. It is on the eastern
fringe of the town. Victorian Barrow was a planned development that
at one time boasted the largest iron and steel works in the world. It
also had a thriving ship building industry. If you have time, it is
worth popping into the Dock Museum to learn more. From the 1960s
Barrow has been the site for the construction of nuclear submarines.
Look out for the impressive town hall which reflects the importance
of the town (it remains the largest in Cumbria). In the shopping
area, a sculpture marks the industrial past of the town. Outside the
Cruise Direct/Barrhead Travel offices is a sculpture of Emlyn Hughes.
He was born in Barrow, played locally as a youth before becoming
captain of England and Liverpool. He died in 2004.<br />
<br />
Photos show: the coast south of Akram in Furness; The Ferry Hotel from the bridge to Walney Island; the 12 mile long beach on the west of Walney Island; industry sculpture in Barrow on Furness.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-90270444715146394462016-09-26T09:57:00.002-07:002016-12-10T03:59:17.003-08:00Walk 192 Bootle Station to Millom (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
192 Bootle Station to Millom (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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Map:
L/R 96</div>
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Distance:
16 miles or 26 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, flat</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path, small amount of road. Some beach walking which could
slow you down</div>
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Access:
Parking at Millom, not sure about Bootle Station</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between the two places. Millom has links to Barrow
in Furness.</div>
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Follow
the track from Bootle Station on to the Cumbria Coastal Way. The walk
down to Silecroft is pleasant enough especially on a nice sunny day
when I went. The coast is a site of special scientific
interest for its bird and plant life – especially sedge warblers
and orchids. However, don't expect to see much human life! </div>
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After
Silecroft, much of the walk is on the beach and care should be taken
to stick near the dunes to avoid getting cut off – especially
around Haverigg Point. The sandy area is called Haverigg Haws where
there are breeding birds in the dunes. Look out for the sculpture on
the beach side near Haverigg. It looks like a dragon and is called
Escape to Light. It represents man flying from a dragon and giving in
to temptations of greed and power and nature flying away from
pollution and extermination.
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Follow
the coastal path that leaves Haverigg and goes round the outer man
made barrier originally built in 1900 to protect iron ore mine
workings. These subsided leaving large areas of water. The walk goes
past the lighthouse, built in 1905, and refurbished in 2003. It now
operates on a sensor and comes on as darkness falls – flashing
every four seconds. Look out for the old lighthouse as you walk
round.
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Follow
the path into the centre of Millom where a sculpture celebrates the
towns heritage founded on the mines and iron works.
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Photos show: part of the long, and for me, lonely stretch between Bootle Station and Silecroft; the old lighthouse from the outer barrier between Haverigg and Millom; the industrial heritage sculpture in Millom centre. </div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-64103866806428151172016-09-06T11:02:00.001-07:002016-12-10T03:53:07.296-08:00Walk 191 Sellafield to Bootle Station (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
191 Sellafield to Bootle Station (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Map:
L/R 89 and 96</div>
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Distance:
15 miles or 24 km</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, mostly flat</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
coastal path, footpaths and roads.</div>
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Access:
Not sure about parking at Sellafield</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Trains between the two places – either may be a request
stop – can't remember (X on the destination board means you need to
speak to the guard to stop the train).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Start
the walk at Sellafield and walk south to Seascale alongside the
railway line. Seascale was originally a Norse settlement and the name
means hut or shelter by the sea. Evidence of an effort during
Victorian times to make the town into a seaside resort is evident in
some remaining fine Victorian houses. More recently its proximity to
nearby Sellafield has sparked fears that childhood cancers are
increasing. Research on this appears to be ongoing and seems to be
suggest that this is not the case. The taxi driver mentioned in the
walk through Whitehaven came from Seascale and killed two residents
here when he ran amok. Look out for the Round Tower, this was a
pumping tower dating from the days when Seascale had no proper water
supply.</div>
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<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Take care if the red flag flying as this means that there is military
activity on the shooting range further down the shore. So don't be
tempted on to the dunes near Drigg but follow the path as marked on
the map inland towards Drigg. Then navigate along minor roads to
Saltcoats before crossing the bridge into Ravenglass.
</div>
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Ravenglass
is a pleasant spot and a good place to stop for refreshment. It may
well be worth a day visit in itself. The Romans built a fort here and
you can visit the remains of a bath house. The settlement is the only
coastal village lying within The Lake District National Park. It is
uniquely situated on the meeting of three rivers – The Esk, The
Mite and The Irt. At the back of the town is The Ravenglass and
Eskdale railway (I believe it is known as the Ratty) which was
England's first narrow gauge railway. It was opened in 1876 to carry
ore from local mines. It was closed in 1912 but was reopened much
later as a successful tourist attraction. It goes 7 miles inland with
trains pulled by steam and sometimes diesel. A great way to see some
of the local scenery.
</div>
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The
walk down from Ravenglass is a bit of a slog mainly along the road.
It was noisy with all the military shooting and explosions at
Eskmeals. Not a walk I enjoyed and you could well skip it by getting
the train from Ravenglass to Bootle.</div>
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Photos show: The beach with red flag near Seascale; the front at Ravenglass.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-69989949750339884922016-09-04T04:36:00.000-07:002016-12-10T03:06:15.988-08:00Walk 190 Whitehaven to Sellafield (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
190 Whitehaven to Sellafield (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 89</div>
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Distance:
14 miles or 22km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Moderate – Bees Head is hilly, the rest is mainly flat</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between the two places – this train has request
stops and I can't remember if Sellafield is one of them</div>
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Before
leaving Whitehaven you could take a walk to St Nichols Church where
this a memorial to the children killed underground when working in
the local coal mines. There is also a plaque to 'Farthing Jimmy' the
nickname for Sir James Lowther (1673-1755) the richest commoner in
England at the time who had a reputation for meanness (hence his nickname).</div>
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Walk
out of Whitehaven towards the beacon. Down near the harbour is the
Candlestick Chimney which ventilated Wellington Pit. Near here was
Saltom Pit the first undersea coal mine sunk in 1731. On the hill is
Duke Pit fan house a 19<sup>th</sup> century building which housed a
fan for another coal mine. A few hundred yards along the path there
is access inland to Haig Collery, a museum telling the story of coal
mining in the area.</div>
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Follow
the path along Bees Head with good views back to Whitehaven and, on a
very good day, to the Isle of Man (about 30 miles away). The walk
over Bees Head felt uncomfortably close to the edge at times. The
cliffs rise to 100 metres and are the highest in north west England.
The route got a bit confusing at times as there is quite a bit of
quarrying of sandstone with safety fencing in place.
</div>
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At
North Head the lighthouse is a prominent landmark. It is here because
of the great danger to ships with wrecks buried in the shingle
beneath the head. It was the last lighthouse to use an open coal fire
as a light source – it is now fired by an oil generator. I assume
that the white tower at the side is a fog horn system. During World
War 2 a radar station was based in the buildings next to the
lighthouse. North Head marks the most westerly part of the Lake
District. The cliff-top walk is the start of the coast to coast walk
devised by Alfred Wainwright. (Finishes at Robin Hood Bay in
Yorkshire).</div>
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Continue
round the head and down near to St Bee's Beach, then into St Bees
village. Look out for the sculpture of St Bega who lived here in the
7<sup>th</sup> century when she established a nunnery. The name of St
Bees is a corruption of the saint's name; she was said to be an Irish
princess who fled across the Irish Sea to avoid an enforced marriage.
As you walk through St Bees look out for the Elizabethan School and
the Norman Priory.
</div>
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I
could not find the path along the coast so had to walk along the road
then farmland before joining the coast path, parallel to the rail
line to Nethertown. The walk from here to Sellafield partly follows
the coast but goes inland to High Sellafield across farmland. It did
not appear to correspond to my map. Part of this walk is across a
narrow hanging bridge which blows alarmingly in the wind – although
the drop to the river is not that far. Again, the path to Sellafield
itself has to be found along roads with the map not a lot of help –
maybe later OS versions are clearer.</div>
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The
nuclear power station here was called Calder Hall when it was opened
in 1956. It was the world's first nuclear power station to generate
electricity on a commercial scale. It was then called Windscale but
after an accident in 1957 it was called Sellafield. When I was there
it was undergoing decommissioning and dismantling. Don't wander
around as there is strict security.<br />
<br />
Photos show: Candlestick Chimney at Whitehaven; quarrying at St Bees Head; St Bees Head and beach; narrow suspension bridge near High Sellafield.<br />
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-87616190979713105242016-08-28T10:56:00.001-07:002016-12-10T02:53:52.066-08:00Walk 189 Workington to Whitehaven (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
18</b><b>9 </b><b>Workington </b><b>to Whitehaven </b><b>(Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 89</div>
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Distance:
12 miles or 18km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Moderate – much is flat but there are hilly sections</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path which includes some road walking</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
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Public
transport: Frequent service between the two towns 300, 130, 302 and
31. Trains are also possible.</div>
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To
get to the path you need to start on the north side of the River
Derwent. It can be a bit confusing depending on which part of
Workington you start from. Follow the path out to the point, then it
cuts southwards through the old steelworks. Tata still had a factory
here when I went but I am not sure whether that is still the case.
One things for sure, it is one of the most uninspiring coastal walks
I have come across. Much of the area has been denuded of industry
leaving swathes of rough ground. In its heyday the steelworks
produced vast quantities of iron and steel assisted by a new process
invented by Henry Bessemer. For mile or so the path passes alongside
the railway.</div>
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The
barren scenery fades when near to Harrington. Industry left here in
the 1930s and there was once five rail stations (just one now). The
harbour area was used in World War 2 for a secret magnesium works
(extracted from sea water) to make aircraft parts. Look out for
strange conical rocks which I assume are sea defences.</div>
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After
Harrington the path cuts inland past a wind farm, then there is a bit
of road walking into Lowca. In 1915 it was attacked by a German
U-boat that surfaced close inshore and fired ineffectively at a
chemical works; the first time a submarine had ever targeted a dry
land location.</div>
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After
walking through Parton there are good views back along to its harbour
and the coast beyond. The path continues alongside the railway once
again. Look out for two chimney like structures which connect to mine
shafts that run a long way under the sea.</div>
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The
walk finishes at the pleasant town of Whitehaven with its busy
harbour. The town centre was inspired by Sir Christopher Wren's plans
for rebuilding London after the Great Fire. Broad streets run down to
the harbour. In the 18<sup>th</sup> century Whitehaven rivalled
Liverpool and Bristol as a port and was the third largest town in the
north of England. If you have time, go to the Beacon Museum with its
interactive displays about the town's history. Whitehaven was
attacked in 1778 during the American War of Independence. The famous
John Paul Jones anchored his boat at nearby St Bee's Head but his
plans went awry when the alarm was raised. A local told me it was
because his men were drunk. Also worth visiting is The Rum Story
which tells the story of its making and its association with the
slave trade, the British Navy and smuggling.
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A
memorial garden in the town marks the tragedy on the day in 2010 when
a taxi driver shot (mostly randomly) at several people.</div>
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Photos show: the site of old industry south of Workington; Harrington; mine shafts north of Whitehaven; Whiatehaven Harbour.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-43980812744111417082016-08-23T10:52:00.001-07:002016-12-10T02:46:19.887-08:00Walk 188 Maryport to Workington (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
188 Maryport to Workington (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) 2</b></div>
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Map:
L/R 89</div>
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Distance:
9 miles or 14 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
fairly easy for the most part</div>
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Terrain:
coastal path, some road</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
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Public
transport: 31 and 30 buses go frequently between the two towns</div>
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It
is worth walking out on the harbour arm at Maryport to get good views before following
the path around the marina. The town was built by the Senhouse family
in the 18<sup>th</sup> century and Humphrey Senhouse named it after
his wife Mary. It became an industrial port with the development of
coal mining and the export of coal to Ireland and around the coast.
The old Maryport to Carlisle Railway (1870-1927) enabled coal and
iron products to be moved efficiently in and out of the port.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If
you have time, the Maritime Museum at Maryport is good to learn more about the town.
There is reference to Fletcher Christian here (mutiny of/on the
Bounty) who he lived nearby. Many other interesting facts about the
town can be discovered including the story of Thomas Ismay, founder
of the White Star Line which built the Titanic.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In
front of the museum is an interesting sculpture of fishermen by local
craftsman Colin Telfer. He is the first artist to use iron ore in a
sculpture, calling this one, 'A Fishy Tale'. The ore comes from
Egremont near Whitehaven.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Look
out for Elizabeth dock (which was named after Henry Senhouse's
daughter) and the plaque marking the loss of three Maryport fishermen
off Scotland in 2009. A major three day blues festival is held in the
town and has attracted such artists as Jools Holland, Dionne Warwick
and Chuck Berry.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Follow
the path, which runs parallel with the beach, south out of Maryport.
After a couple of miles you reach the old village of Flimby. The shoe
firm New Balance has a factory here.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
walk between here and Workington is marked by a land wind farm and
some industry. The path is clear enough but, when I went, it was a
weekend and the area was dominated by youngsters speeding up and down
on their motocross bikes. They are fast, throwing up clouds of dust and a bit scary as you hope you have been noticed.<br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the way into Workington you need to cross the River Derwent. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">A</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
policeman lost his life here directing traffic during the floods of
2009. The walk continues past the Workington Town Rugby League Club.
The ground, which is shared </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">with</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
speedway, looked in poor shape to me. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">A
more unusual sport, based in the town since the Middle Ages is 'Uppies
and Downies'. It is a form of mob football which takes place between
far apart places in the town (the harbour and some parkland).
Injuries have been a concern!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Workington
is a port and past industries have been based on coal, steel and
vehicle manufacture. In the 2000s there was some regeneration which
included the positioning of several works of art in the town centre.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Photos show: harbour at Maryport; the walk to Workington with wind farm and motocross.</span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-14173481856507887842016-08-16T10:16:00.002-07:002016-12-10T02:31:40.694-08:00Walk 187 Skinburness - Silloth - Maryport (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
187 Skinburness – Silloth - Maryport (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) 2</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 85 and 89</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
17 miles or 26 km.</div>
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Difficulty:
fairly easy, mainly flat</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
coastal path, some road</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: 60 bus goes a few times day between the two locations. I
got the 9:00 bus from Maryport which takes 30 mins to get to
Skinburness. Whichever way, this is a longer walk than I normally
attempt so allow a full day.
<br />
<br />
The comment at the end of this post is correct - navigating this section requires more map reading than usual as there are few markers to help.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I
started by walking towards Grune Point. However, this is a very
desolate spot with only the wide variety of bird life and the views
of the aerials back at Anthorn to recommend it. In my view the extra
couple of miles is not worth the effort.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Start
at the small settlement of Skinburness. The original town was
engulfed in a flood in 1303, shortly after its harbour had been used
as a base for Edward 1's attack on Scotland. When I went there the
Skinburness Hotel was in a sad state of dilapidation. I was told that
the area was shortly to be developed into a retirement village.
Follow the coastal path down to the beach area. The Long House, now
converted into two cottages, overlooks the beach. It is said to be
the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie met the local Jacobites during
the ill fated uprising in 1745.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Walk
southwards, along the promenade, past the East Cote Lighthouse. This
was originally established in 1864 as a mobile structure on a short
rail track. It was fixed here in 1914 with a cabin below for the
keeper. The light was automated in 1930.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Continue
the walk down to Silloth and past some well tended, pleasant park
land. The resort is little more than 100 years old. Sometimes known
as Silloth on Solway it was developed in the 1860s when the terminus
of a railway from Carlisle was built (it was closed during the
infamous Beeching cuts of the 1960s). Before 1914 it was popular with
the middle classes who came here for 'the air'. After this it became
a destination for day trips for the working man and his family.
Although it has declined, major events such as a music festival are
attracting people again. It has a small port and large flour mill.
Look out for millennium sculpture celebrating the main features of
the town.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
walk southwards out of Silloth is a little tricky as it involves
roads in the small dock area. Not very well marked when I went.
Eventually, you arrive on wide expanses of sand. The walk follows the
sand dunes although some can be done on the beach, and after a few
miles, along the road. For several miles I saw very few people.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Soon
after the path starts running parallel with the road you enter the
small village of Beckfoot. A notice here states that you must not
catch sea bass below the minimum size of 36cm. The sea here goes out
a mile leaving pools known locally as 'scars'.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
About
4 miles further down is Allonby. The village was a hotbed of whisky
smuggling from Scotland in the 1700s.Look out for a large building
set back from the road. This is North Lodge built in 1824 by a
prominent Quaker called Thomas Richardson. He was a native of
Allonby and a generous benefactor of the village who allowed many
Quaker families to live rent free. The building is still owned by The
Society of Friends. Be very careful as you walk through the village
especially alongside the stream. There was a fatal accident involving
a walker the day before I was there.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Oyster
catchers, curlew, ringer plovers and the rare natterjack toad can be
spotted in the dunes near Allonby. A couple of miles south is South
Saltpan's Beach. It gets its name from an industry in Norman times
when salt was extracted from sea water.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
The
only bit of hill climbing is on the outskirts of Maryport. Hadrians
Wall, originally thought to have finished at Bowness on Solway, is
now thought to have ended here at the site of the 1<sup>st</sup>
century 'Avna' Roman Fort. The walk goes past the site and a museum
is open to the public (but not when I was there).
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As
you enter Maryport the path allows good views of the town. The
sunsets I saw were very attractive. More about the town on the next
walk.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Photos show: The old Skinburness Hotel - what is it like now?; The millennium marker, Silloth; North Lodge, Allonby; South Saltpans Beach; sunset at Maryport.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-80713954236507506392016-08-10T10:55:00.001-07:002016-12-10T01:33:14.680-08:00Walk 186 Bowness on Solway to Anthorn (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
186 Bowness on Solway to Anthorn (Cumbria)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) 2</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 85</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
7 miles or 16 km approx</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
fairly easy, mainly flat</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
Road following the cycle route</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking in each location</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: 93 bus to Bowness on Solway from Carlisle currently leaves
at 9:10. 93A bus currently leaves at 1:50 and 5:30 from Anthorn back
to Carlisle.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This
is a quiet walk – one of those where you are unlikely to meet many,
if any, other walkers. However, you will see many cows ambling across
and along the road. Leaving Bowness, there are several lay-bys on the
road with view points to observe local bird life. The Campfield
Nature Reserve is managed by the RSPB.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
At
Herdhill Scar there used to be a railway that went across the water
on a 1940 yard viaduct to Annan in Scotland. It was opened in 1869
and had 192 arches. In 1875 it was damaged when water got into the
hollow iron pillars; it froze and cracked them. Six years later ice
jammed the estuary with ice up to 3 metres thick and ripped two gaps
in the viaduct. This sort of damage was one of the reasons it was
closed in 1924 and demolished in 1935. Another reason (apparently)
was that Scots had no access to alcohol on Sunday and used to use the
viaduct to cross to the other side. Occasionally, when they worse for
wear, a few fell into the Solway and drowned.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After
a few miles you come to the small settlement of Cardurnock with good
views across the sand and mud flats. There is access to a flat beach
here – definitely away from the crowds! Look out for what looks
like a home made wooden seat at the side of the road.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
rather sinister looking aerials form the inland view for much of the
walk to Anthorn. The aerials are up to 748 feet high and are VLF
(very low frequency). They have been here since 1964 and are a link
in NATO's defence system particularly transmitting to submarines. The
area was once a landing strip for the military and this closed in
1958.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
housing development in the village of Anthorn once housed military
personnel. <span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
bus stop is here.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos: the aerials at Cardurnock; a view from near here across the Solway Firth.</span></span></span></span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-15254973370163538402016-07-28T10:56:00.001-07:002016-07-28T10:56:17.824-07:00Walk 185 Carlisle to Bowness on Solway (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
185 Carlisle to Bowness on Solway (Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 85</div>
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Distance:
15 miles or 24 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Fairly easy, mostly flat, although surprising amount of small ups and
downs alongside the River Eden.</div>
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Terrain:
roads, coastal and river paths. At times the road between Solway
Firth and Burgh by Sands can flood up to 2 feet or more so check the
tides and beware if heavy rain or recent flooding in the area.
</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
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Public
transport: 93 bus runs a few times a day back to Carlisle Bus
Station. Last one from Bowness is 18:58. Or you could get the 9:10
bus from Carlisle and walk back from Bowness.
</div>
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Looking
around Carlisle is not possible on this day but would recommend a
half or whole day to visit Carlisle Castle and a look around the
town. Look out for the Citadel or Court Houses which are built in the
red brick typical of this town. The towers were built by Thomas
Telford in 1810 and replaced similar structures built by HenryV111
in 1542 as an additional defence for the castle. The castle was built
in 1092 by William Rufus and later served as a prison for Mary Queen
of Scots. Before the Norman Conquest, Carlisle was part of Scotland
and was not mentioned in the Domesday Book. William Rufus took the
town for England in 1092. The castle was used in the Civil War and
was held by he Royalist then the Parliamentarians. The last battle it
saw was in 1745 when there was a Jacobite Rising led by Bonnie Prince
Charlie.</div>
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Carlisle
was a big centre for textile manufacturing after the Industrial
Revolution. In the town centre check out Carlisle Cross, also known
as Market Cross, which was erected in 1682. The lion on top has one
of its paws on a book of the city and below there are four sundials.</div>
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Join
the Cumbria Coastal Way on the western/southern side of the River
Eden and walk seawards. Only a few steps inland just past Grinsdale
is (or was) St Kentigern's Church. It was built in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century on the site of a much older church. The saint, became Bishop
of Glasgow and died in about 612. When I was looking at the outside
of the church a man approached me and asked if I would like to look
inside. Turns out he was an estate agent planning to convert the
church into a residential property. I wonder what it looks like
now.......</div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
River Eden can be very attractive in parts especially when the sun
shines. At Beaumont the path crosses inland and follows the
Hadrian's Wall Path. At Burgh by Sands (no sands that I could see)
look out for St Michael's Church which was built using stone from the
Roman wall. Soon after this point you could take a diversion to Old
Sandsfield and view the memorial to Edward 1</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">st</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
(hammer of the Scots) who died when he was on his way to mete out
rough treatment to Robert the Bruce in 1307. If you don't fancy this
diversion then keep walking and you will come to the Greyhound pub
where and stone and statue erected in 2007 marks the 700</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
anniversary of his death aged 68. The pub gets its name from the
greyhounds that were trained by Lord Lonsdale on Burgh Marsh during
World War 2. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Continue
along the old Roman road to Drumburgh with its views to the Solway
coast. It was designated an area of outstanding natural beauty in
1964. The small village of Drumburgh was the site of a Roman fort. In
the 14</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century a Pele Tower House (small, fortified house) known as
Drumburgh castle was built with stone from Hadrian's Wall. You can
still see this with its main door on the first floor as extra
protection from raids across the estuary.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">About
2 to 3 miles along the road is Port Carlisle which has a small island
just offshore. Port Carlisle was originally a fishing village with
the name Fishers Cross. The port was built in 1819 with a canal link
to Carlisle. Unfortunately, it closed in 1853 due to financial
difficulties and silting. The roads along this stretch are subject to
flooding at high tides. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
final stop is Bowness on Solway. St Michael's Church in the village
had its bells stolen by Scottish raiders in 1626 then Bowness
villagers retaliated by taking the bells from a church near Annan in
Scotland. Every new vicar in Annan requests the return of the bells
but it is always refused!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Before
leaving Bowness make sure you check out the western end of Hadrian's
Wall. A plaque here marks the western end of the wall and notes that
it is 73 miles from Wallsend at the eastern end. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos: St Kentigern's Church at Grinsdale on the River Eden (as it was a couple of years ago); Greyhound Pub at Burgh by Sands; the western end of Hadrian's Wall at Bowness on Solway.</span></span></span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-10125224051063188492016-07-14T10:52:00.004-07:002016-12-09T09:54:50.410-08:00Walk 184 Gretna Green (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland) to Carlisle (Cumbria)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
184 Gretna Green (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland) to Carlisle
(Cumbria)</b></div>
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<b>(Fourth
leg of English coastal walk – Gretna Green to Chester) </b>
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Map:
L/R 85</div>
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Distance:
15 miles or 25 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, mostly flat</div>
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Terrain:
roads, coastal and river paths.</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
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Public
transport: Trains between Carlisle and Gretna</div>
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The
start is in Gretna (means place of the gravelly hill) which is in
Scotland but walking from here ensures the border can be crossed into
England. While in the village it is worth walking up to the famous
Blacksmith's Shop where marriages have been held right up to the
present day.</div>
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Gretna's
claim to fame came in 1753 when Lord Hardwick's Marriage Act was
passed in England. If both parties intending to marry were under 21
parental consent was needed. However, in Scotland the law did not
apply, boys here were allowed to marry at 14, and girls at 12,
without parental consent. Hence young couples fled to the nearest
point in Scotland to get legally married. <span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Look
out for the anvil sculpture </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">in
the village which</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
mark</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">s</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
the millennium </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the road walk out of Gretna you pass the last house in Scotland which
is also a marriage venue boasting over 10,000 marriages since 1830.
Next is the border marked by the 'Welcome to England' sign. The walk
continues on the minor road which runs southwards near to the
motorway. A tedious, noisy and not very pleasant </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">walk.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">A
pub called The Metal Bridge is on the southern </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">side
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">of
the concrete bridge and comes from the original Thomas Telford
designed bridge constructed in 1815. On the north side of the </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">River
Esk there</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
was </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">a
huge World War 1 munitions factory employing over 30,000 people. The
drinking of alcohol became a problem so the government took over all
the pubs in and around Carlisle and strict rules on drunkenness were
applied. The scheme persisted until the 1970s when it was sold off.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
walk across the fields along The Cumbria Coastal Way takes you to the
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">River
Eden and Rockliffe. The walk passes through farmland and when it
enters a farm the gates and stiles are </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">(were)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
in a poor state. I negotiated these and was soon attack</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">ed</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
and bitten by a group of dogs which appeared from the farm. They
eventually ran off but </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">m</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">y
shouts were ignored by the farmer. In view of this, a better
alternative route </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">may
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">be
to follow the cycle route along the roads </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">marked
on the OS map</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Rockliffe
has had a lively past including warfare with Scottish raiders and the
smuggling of whisky from Scotland. It was also a commercial port with
activities including shipbuilding. Look out for the few remnants of
old wooden jetties </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">along
the river</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
and the ship weather vane on top of the church. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Good
evidence of the past.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">From
here it is a pleasant but long walk into Carlisle </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">which</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
is the county town of Cumbria and was originally a Roman settlement
to serve Hadrian's Wall. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos: The last house in Scotland; The Metal Bridge pub on the River Esk; view along River Eden on the way into Carlisle.</span></span></span></span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-80849173468755090872016-07-06T10:44:00.000-07:002016-12-09T09:43:45.989-08:00Walk 183 Clevedon to Portishead. Severn Beach. Bristol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
183 Clevedon to Portishead. Severn Beach. Bristol. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 172</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
12 km or 8 miles</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy</div>
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Terrain:
roads, coastal path.</div>
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Access:
Parking in each location</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Buses every 45 minutes between Clevedon and Portishead.
Trains from Bristol Temple Mead to Severn Beach.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This
walk is split into 3 sections. The first between Clevedon and
Portishead, the second around Severn Beach and the third in Bristol.
It is a good idea to visit Bristol if you can as there is much
maritime history to be seen including the SS Great Britain, The
Matthew replica (the sailing ship of the explorer Cabot) and the V
Shed Museum with its comprehensive story of the city. I would also
recommend a trip to the Brunel Clifton Bridge and the open bus tour
which takes you there and other places of interest in the city.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
For
the first walk, start at the south of Clevedon and walk along
Salthouse Bay and up to Clevedon Pier. This was opened in 1869 and is
one of the oldest Victorian piers still in existence. It is a Grade 1
Listed Building which collapsed in 1970 and was rebuilt in 2001. The
building at the front of the pier is The Toll House and it was built
at the same time as the pier, It is in the style of a castle and was
accommodation for the pier master. For some time there were
salt-water baths next to the pier.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Clevedon
goes back a long way and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a small
settlement. It was an agricultural village prior to Victorian times
when it became a popular seaside resort. The first large scale
production of penicillin took place in the town.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
walk to Portishead passes through low open cliffs and quiet copses
eventually passing through a caravan settlement before reaching the
outskirts of Portishead. Alongside Kilkenny Bay there is a golf
course and soon you reach Battery Point Lighthouse built in 1931.
Originally, there was a fort here used during the English Civil War
by the Royalists. Guns were also placed on the point during World War
2. </span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Portishead
has a long history as a fishing port. The dock area has now been
redeveloped into a marina. Walking away from the coast and back
towards the town there is a man made lake built 100 years ago. One of
the few remaining UK outdoor swimming pools is nearby.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For
the sake of completing the coastal settlements in the south west it
is worth going to Severn Beach and a reasonably pleasant walk along
the Severn Way. Looking back towards the south is the heavy
industrialised area of Avonmouth. Walking northwards takes you under
the M4/48 and Severn Road Bridges. </span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Severn
Beach village only existed as a farm until 1900 when the railway saw
its potential as a seaside resort. In 1922 the village was created
with a swimming pool called the Blue Lagoon, a boating lake and a
club. Now it is more of a commuter settlement. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Photos show: Clevedon Pier and Severn Beach across The Avon with motorway bridge.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
is the end of Leg 3 of the coastal walk of England. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-78062068656118271062016-06-22T10:54:00.003-07:002016-12-09T09:14:21.338-08:00Walk 182 Highbridge to Weston-Super-Mare (Somerset)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
182 Highbridge to Weston-Super-Mare (Somerset)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 182</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
15 miles or 24 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, apart from a climb up Brean Down</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
coastal path/sandy beach with options to walk on the road in parts</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking in Highbridge and Weston</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Regular train link between Highbridge and Weston.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Follo</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">w</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
the cycle route out of Highbridge and then the path alongside the
River Brue towards the coast. At the start, along the road from
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Highbridge</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
station, look out for the statue dedicated to Major Frank Foley
(1884-1958) who was born in the town. He rescued thousands of Jews
from Nazi persecution in World War 2 and had them resettled in
Britain or Palestine.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the outskirts of Highbridge, on the River Brue. is Highbridge Wharf.
In the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century it became a busy port exporting local goods such </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">as</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
cheese, tiles and bricks (there were once nine brickyards in the
area). Imports included timber from Scandinavia. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">M</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">en
called 'timber runners' would carry planks on their shoulders to the
timber mill. It was a well paid job but work was dependent on ships
arriving. After the Second World War the wharf proved too small for
the new generation of ships. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Follow
the track around and along to Burnham-on-Sea. From here you can see
Stert Island - a nature reserve for which you require permission to
land. Every summer swimmers race from Burnham to the island and back
again. Look out for the brown bricked boathouse on </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Burnham</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
front. It was built in 1995 as the result of a challenge for the TV
programme Challenge Aneka (Rice). A rescue hovercraft is housed here
adapted for soft sand or mud. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">A
bit further along is Burnham Pier reputed to be the shortest in the
UK. The rise and fall of the tide here is quite dramatic and is one
of the highest in the world. It can rise as high as 12 metres during
the Spring equinox. In 1607 the village was engulfed by a huge tidal
wave which killed many people – ma</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">n</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">y
saw </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">this
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">as
divine intervention at the time.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Burnham
is yet another place that claims a connection with Jesus and Joseph
of Aramathea. They are reputed to have landed near here at an area
called Paradise before visiting Glastonbury. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Further
along is Burnham Pavilion which was built in 1911 – it was the
first marine construction in England to use a method now known as
reinforced concrete. Look out for St Andrews 14</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century church tower which leans about one metre – this happened
soon after it was erected. Inside there is a 12 metre altar piece
carved in 1686 by Grinling Gibbons.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">As
you walk out of Burnham you will notice 3 lighthouses, one near to
the church. Th</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">is</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
original lighthouse, called the Round Tower, is now used for holiday
lets. It was built in the early 1800s when a vicar lev</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">ied</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
tolls on passing ships and used the money to sink two spa wells. This
never caught on as th</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">e</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
waters were said to have an unsavoury odour. </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">(isn't
this the case with most spas). </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">There
is a wooden lighthouse on the beach with nine oak legs built in 1832
and a third Trinity lighthouse nearby.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
walk continues along Berrow Sands and dunes which are sites of
special scientific interest for </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">a</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
variety of wildlife. Just past Berrow village there is a path to St
Mary's Church known as 'The church of the sand dunes' – </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">i</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">f
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">you
visit</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
there is an unusual stained glass window which depicts a cat as part
of a scene. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
miles of flat walking come to an end at Brean Down. It is </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">well
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">worth
walking to the point of the headland - taking note of the warnings to
stick to the paths and away from the dangerous cliffs. People have
been active here since the Stone Age. The main feature now is the
well preserved Brean Down Fort which was built in 1870 as part of a
chain of forts to protect the Bristol Channel against a possible
French invasion. Visitors are free to wander in and around the
buildings. It was manned in 1900 when a soldier committed suicide
when he fired </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">a
shell into a</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
gunpowder magazine and caused a huge explosion. The army left in 1913
but returned in World War 2 when the site was used for testing
possible new weapons. Information boards erected by the National
Trust give lots more information. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Leave
Brean Down and </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">carry
on to</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
Uphill Beach. This was formerly </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">the
site of</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
a Roman fort where lead and silver from mines in the nearby Mendip
Hills were shipped out. It was also a port </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">u</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">sed
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">b</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">y
Royalists in the Civil War.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Continue
along to Weston Super Mare (Latin for upon sea) which developed from
a village in the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century to become a major seaside resort with a rail station and two
piers. Out at sea are the islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm. Trips
can be arranged to Flat Holm which is a site of Special Scientific
Interest </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">and
includes</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
some historic buildings. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">As
you walk along the promenade look out for a beach shelter which has
text etched into the windows by a local artist – they are meant to
be read </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">in
conjunction </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">with
the landscape seen through each window. Further down is the aquarium
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">then</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
The Grand Pier which was opened in 1904. It was designed to be one to
five miles long. In 2008 it was destroyed by fire and reopened in
2010. John Cleese and Bob Hope </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">lived
in Weston when they were children.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">The
centre of Weston has </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">a
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">strange
construction called The Silica which was built in 2006. To the north
side of Weston there is a sea installation called Without Earth </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Under
Foot, put here in 2010. It is a constellation of phosphorescent
material where energy is absorbed then gives off a luminescent glow
at night. Quite striking if you get a chance to see it. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">To
the north of Weston, near the woods, is the 1867 built Bimbeck Pier
which links the mainland to an island of the same name – the only
pier in the UK to do this. Sadly, it was closed due to storm damage
in the nineties and looked derelict.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #00000a; font-size: 12pt;">The
final destination is through Weston Woods to Sand Bay. A path through
the woods means that you can avoid a dangerous road. A quiet place,
and if you can manage a further mile or two you can look at
Woodspring Priory which was founded by a knight in 1230 and is now
owned by The Landmark Trust for letting and occasional viewing. A bus
runs back from Sand Bay back into the centre of Weston.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos show: Frank Foley memorial, Highbridge; St Andrew's Church, Burnham-on-Sea; a view of Brean Fort; The Silica in Weston-Super-Mare; Bimbeck Pier to the north of Weston.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-85925289777864498212016-06-12T11:18:00.001-07:002016-12-09T09:09:56.430-08:00Walk 181 Bridgwater circular walk (Somerset)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
181 Circular walk centred around Bridgwater and Combwich (Somerset)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol) </b>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 182 – make sure you have the latest map (floods and work at Hinkley Point have altered the routes of some paths)</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
13 miles or 20 km approx but much depends on access due to overgrown
and closed paths.</div>
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Difficulty:
Easy, mainly flat</div>
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Terrain:
path and some road</div>
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Access:
Parking in Bridgwater
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Not possible although there is a bus service from
Combwich back into Bridgwater.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Parts
of the coast may be accessible between Watchet and Hinkley Point but
I found many of the paths overgrown or closed around the power
station. The distance above could be longer or shorter depending on
how far you can go. I got a bus to Combwich to save walking twice on
the same part of the River Parrett.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Start
in the centre of Bridgwater, formerly a busy sea port. The tall,
slender spire of the 14</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century St Mary's Church is a significant landmark. Look out for the
statues of Admiral Robert Blake and Guy Fawkes. Blake was very
important in Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth Navy. Bridgwater has a
radical past and Fawkes </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">has
been </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">commemorated
for centuries here in the yearly carnival. The battle at nearby
Sedgemoor in 1685 was where the Monmouth rebellion was crushed. He
had a claim on the English throne but was captured and executed by
King James 11 after the battle. Bridgwater was the first town to
petition the government to ban slavery. The town was a major
manufacturer of bricks up to the 1960s and there is a Brick and Tile
Museum that can be visited. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Follow
the River Parrett out of the town. There are only a few rivers in the
world that have the right conditions to form a bore. This is caused
by a strong tide pushing its way up a narrowing channel coming up
against the current of the river. The Parrett bore can reach over 0.6
metres in height travelling at about 5 mph. In the past the bores
were skilfully used to carry boats upstream.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the way out of the town look out for the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
century crane which was restored by local organisations in 2004. Keep
following the path along the river to </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">more
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">rural
surroundings. A stile to a footpath </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">with
</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">the
seriously off putting message 'Bull in field', comes up on the left.
Is this legal? A bit further along I came across a herd of very
frisky cattle. They followed me along the path taking it in turns to
charge across </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">in
front of me</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">.
I was glad to get over a stile and out of that section. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">A
few miles along the river is Combwich with its small harbour. It
served as a port for the export of local produce and the import of
timber until it silted up in the 1930s. The walk from here starts
well enough but gets overgrown on the way to </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Steart
where there is access to the coast through a nature reserve. From
Hinkley Point nuclear power station </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">can
be seen. It is</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
the subject of a major redevelopment in the near future. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">On
the way back there </span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">you
can</span></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">
cross the newly developed Steat Marshes Reserve which connects with
the River Parrett walk. It was in the process of being developed when
I was there so it is important to use an up to date map.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Photos show: statue of Guy Fawkes in Bridgwater and the 'dodgy' stile on the River Parrett</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-13388662413931504842016-05-25T09:29:00.000-07:002016-12-09T08:51:37.866-08:00Walk 180 Minehead to Watchet (Somerset)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Walk
180 Minehead to Watchet (Somerset)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol) </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Map:
L/R 181</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Distance:
7 miles or 12 km approx</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Difficulty:
Easy, mainly flat</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Terrain:
path and some road</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Access:
Parking at both ends
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Public
transport: Steam train connects the two places, also buses.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Walk
out of Minehead past the Butlin's complex and alongside the golf
course.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Near
Dunster Beach is a World War 2 pill box made from pebbles from the
beach and bonded with concrete. A mile or so inland is Dunster with
its impressive castle. The well preserved medieval village and
National Trust run castle are both worth a visit. There are superb
views of the coast from the castle. Dunster was the birthplace of the
hymn 'All things Bright and Beautiful', written by Cecil Alexander
when he was staying there. On the beach are chalets and the mouth of
the River Avill – there used to be a harbour here from Saxon times
where wool was exported.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Further
along is Blue Anchor. A pleasant enough beach overlooked by caravans
on the other side of the road. Presumably named after the pub here.
After the path leaves the pavement it soon starts to go inland for
much of the walk to Watchet. The final bit of the walk can be along
the road or along the pebbly beach which was rather hard on the feet
but you can admire the interesting rock formations on the land side.
</div>
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Watchet
is a pleasant, interesting place. The Vikings once sailed into the
harbour and later it became a busy port dealing in iron ore. Trains,
on what is now the heritage steam railway, carried the ore mined in
nearby hills to Watchet Station and then it was carried to the
quayside, then on to Wales. It was eventually closed when cheap iron
ore was imported from Spain. The harbour was once so clean that
cricket was played on the sands when the tide was out – it is more
muddy now. With plentiful supplies of wood in the nearby Quantock
Hills paper making has been a feature of the area since the 17<sup>th</sup>
century.
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Look
out for the local church dedicated to Saint Decuman (a new one to me)
who is thought to have died here in the eighth century. Sammy Hake's
Cottage is another interesting building with a front door only 5 feet
high. He was a local character. If it is open, Watchet Market House
Museum is worth a visit to find out more about the area. There is an
old 'lock up' at the rear. Local traditions include the yearly
Lantern Festival involving children with candle lanterns made out of
such vegetables as mangel-wurzels and swede.
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Further
along the sea front at Watchet is a sculpture called The Ancient
Mariner - in memory of the poet Coleridge who lived at nearby Nether
Stowey. (His house there is National Trust and an interesting visit). He was inspired to write
The Ancient Mariner when visiting Watchet Harbour and chatting to an
old sailor about how boys on ships trapped albatrosses when they were
at sea.
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Try
to make some time to look at Watchet Station with its iconic original
platforms and steam trains.<br />
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Photos show Dunster Beach and The Ancient Mariner sculpture at Watchet.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073952705491308749.post-47594418397181185492016-05-19T11:00:00.003-07:002016-12-09T08:43:14.095-08:00Walk 179 Porlock Weir to Minehead (Somerset)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Walk
179 Porlock Weir to Minehead (Somerset)</b></div>
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<b>(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol) </b>
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Map:
L/R 181</div>
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Distance:
9 miles or 17 km approx</div>
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Difficulty:
One very steep climb but the rest less demanding
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Terrain:
coastal/cliff/road</div>
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Access:
Parking at both ends (paid at Porlock Weir)</div>
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Public
transport: No 10 bus goes every two hours between the two places.
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Follow
the beach walk out of Porlock Weir – take care on the large pebbly
rocks with their potential for twisting ankles. The path passes over
marsh land. Look out for the memorial alongside the path near to
Bossington . This remembers an American Air Force plane which crashed
here during bad weather in 1942 killing ten crew. Out towards the sea
are what I assumed were wartime defensive buildings (there are a few
WW2 pill boxes) but most are the remains of lime kilns. Limestone
from Wales was burnt to produce lime which was used as a fertilizer
on local farms and for mortar in local buildings.
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The
path arrives in the attractive village of Bossington much of which is
owned by the National Trust. Thatched cottages and buildings with
tall chimneys feature here.</div>
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Follow
the walk out of the village and along to Hurlstone Point, a windy
place in my experience. There are good views back to Porlock Weir
and, on a clear day, I understand that the cliffs of Glamorgan can often be seen across the sea. The tower here is an old coast guard
lookout.
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Prepare
yourself for a steep demanding walk which gets a little bit easier
nearer Selworthy Beacon (1013 ft above sea level) but goes up for a
long distance and took me about 45 minutes. Not advisable in wet or
very windy weather.
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From
here it is a few miles walk into Minehead. Near the end there is an
option to go on the lower walk which passes through parkland. The
first part of Minehead is the harbour. It is over 1000 years old and
belonged to the son of Lady Godiva. A nice pub here – The Old Ship
Aground - for some liquid refreshment and food. On the road along the
sea front look out for the old thatched cottages. There were once
many more but a fire in 1791 was caused by a miller who lobbed a
blazing barrel of tar out of his door and into a stream only to set
fire to the thatch of surrounding buildings. Ninety of them were
destroyed.</div>
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Near
to the cottages is a large metallic structure of hands holding a map.
This marks the end/start of the South West Coastal Path. Looking
ahead are the tent like buildings of Butlins. Opposite the sea in the
main town is the terminus of the West Somerset Railway - the longest
heritage railway in England. It was originally opened in 1874 and
closed in 1971. Well worth a trip e.g. to the pleasant seaside town
of Watchett.</div>
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An
age old custom of Minehead is the ceremony of the 'obby 'orse which,
on Mayday, goes down to the quay to the accompaniment of accordions
and drums. Legend has it that a Viking pirate was frightened away
from the town by the mask of a horse.
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Arthur
C Clarke, the science fiction writer, was born in the area.
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Photos show: Minehead Harbour with The Old Ship Aground; the sculpture at the start/end of The South West Coast path; the old coastguard lookout at Hurlstone Point.</div>
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adrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505845756121297143noreply@blogger.com0